Kind of Like a Family
by emirozus
Summary: They're dysfunctional and difficult and one-hundred percent different, but that's what makes them a family. —Main cast. [ 05: consort / Ozmone Plain ]
1. name

**01: name**

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><p>They start off with names.<p>

"My name is Vaan," the orphaned boy says, scratching the back of his head. At everyone's perplexed gaze, he keeps talking. "Well, I mean, none of us really know each other, so I was thinking that we ought to introduce ourselves, you know? Formally."

Balthier raises a perfect eyebrow. "This is a mission to save the world, Vaan, not a camping trip."

Vaan scowls. "I know! But we're going to be together for a while, so I just figured…" he trails off.

There is awkward silence in the Strahl as they fly to the desert sea, but it's broken by a small voice saying, "My name's Penelo."

"We know, sweetheart," Baltheir smirks from the cockpit. "Vaan made sure of that." Penelo smiles slightly and shakes her head, a rosy blush on her cheeks. No one speaks.

"What a _lively_ crew we have here," Balthier mumbles. "Fran, I am starting to regret our decision."

The viera rolls her eyes. "Like a child, you are. Mayhap some silence will do you good."

Balthier scoffs in response and hears the Lady Ashe snort from behind him. He turns from his position at the wheel of the Strahl to give her a mildly curious look. "What's so funny, Princess?"

Ashe physically resists a twitch. "Ashe," she corrects, annoyance laced in her words. "My name is Ashe."

"Whatever you say, Princess."

From beside her, Basch speaks. "It would be wise if you respect her, Balthier. She will rule one day."

Balthier chuckles sarcastically. "I will not stay long enough in Dalmasca for that to matter."

Ashe scowls deeply and narrows her eyes. Basch silently attempts to calm her without testing her patience. Balthier grins wildly to himself. Fran's ears twitch.

Vaan and Penelo look at each other and smile.

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><p><strong><strong>For ff_fanworks' latest challenge table on LJ.  
>Thirty chapters, lots of pairings, and various genres. Chapters will be in chronological order.<br>Thank you for reading! xx  
>( edited 081813 )<p> 


	2. negotiation

**02: negotiation**

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><p>Ashe can not help but think that she should have seen this coming.<p>

For as long as she has known him, Vossler has always been a diplomat. He is a strong fighter, without a doubt, but he has never settled for violence unless there were no other options. Ashe has always found this rather admirable of him— too often does a man dive headfirst into battle without a second thought.

However, at this moment, the princess wants absolutely _nothing_ to do with the man who ruined her progress.

Ashe shuffles beside her disjointed little crew. Ghis is an ugly and filthy man, but a conniving and convincing one at that. He bargained her country and their safety for a stone; her answer was definite. But as she feels Vossler's presence beside her, a sinking feeling arises in the pit of her stomach. Betrayal washes over her like a wave, and she finds herself counting repetitvely inside her head to resist reaching out and striking him.

"I believe Larsa is the key. He'll listen to us. We should trust him," Vossler says, and Ashe's anger flares up with wildfire. How dare he negotiate for her. How _dare_ he go behind her back to do what _he_ thinks is right.

"Who are you, Vossler, to speak of trust?" she snaps, and she sees the shock and slight twinge of hurt in his eyes. Her steps quicken; Ashe doesn't even want to look at him. She backtracks in her mind when Vossler could have possibly changed his mind, and she finds nothing. She feels furious, immensely frustrated, but ashamedly blind.

Before she knows it, the ship is going crazy, and Fran is howling madness behind her. Her shackles feel even heavier when Vossler raises his sword and when Basch takes two steps forward. Her shackles fall and her sword is striking Vossler's, and the Princess grits her teeth as pushes him away.

"My lady, do not resist!" he urges her. "I have done what is best for Dalmasca-"

Ashe hears no more, because Basch steps in and challenges Vossler. There is a slit in his armor and Basch's sword slides through, and then Vossler is kneeling on the ground, his Imperial Soldiers dead around him.

Ashe is pulled away by someone- Vaan, she sees- but she can not help but look at the sight of her most-trusted friend from the very beginning looking as defeated as she feels. Basch says his parting words, and the ceiling begins to crack. At Balthier's request, she begins moving, but she takes one last look back at Vossler.

They make eye contact. He tells her he's sorry.

The ceiling collapses, and Ashe wishes that he had stopped negotiating long ago.

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><p>Thanks to my one lonely reviewer from last time. :)<br>I've had this typed up for a while, but I just got around to publishing it now, oops.  
>( edited 110413 )<p> 


	3. victory

**A/N: **Thanks to the sole reviewer again for reviewing, haha~

**Disclaimer: **smh

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><p><em>03. victory<em>

This is not a victory for her.

Penelo has never killed a man. She prides herself on being able to survive without inflicting _much_ bodily harm on others (save the desert animals- she needs her spare gil and her food). The worst she has ever hurt someone was when she stabbed a cutting knife into the foot of a drunken middle-aged man who wouldn't remember it in the morning.

Pushing herself as far back as she can in the little Atomos her merry group had borrowed from the Empire, Penelo's adrenaline disappears and she's left with her own thoughts. She desperately wishes for Larsa's company because he is much better at comforting than Vaan ever has been.

Penelo has killed a man.

He was covered in gray armor and she did not know his name or his face, but she had killed him. _He probably had a family_, she bitterly tells herself. _He probably had a wife and kids and a nice home_.

She remembers rolling on the floor desperately as the Imperial soldier lunged for her. Fran, wild with Mist-fueled rage, attacked him and sent him to the floor but she did not linger; the viera quickly turned her focus to a man attacking her partner.

The Imperial had staggered up into a stand and readied his sword, raising it in the air to pin Penelo to the ground. Her eyes had widened and she had moved on instinct.

Penelo had gotten to her feet faster than she ever had before and plunged her dagger in between the man's armor.

He had grunted and fallen to the ground. She saw the blood pool out of his armor and she closed her eyes so she wouldn't see it. Then, a terrifying rumble echoed all around her, and she looked up to find the ceiling shaking and coming in at the center. Next thing she knew, Vaan was dragging her away, and she looked back to see a defeated Vossler laying in the center of the floor, prepared to die.

Thinking on it, she had killed more than one man. She had killed that Imperial and Vossler and everyone else on that ship.

She wants to vomit.

Balthier lands the Atomos at the entrance of the Sandsea, by the Westersand, so that they will not be noticed by the people of Rabanastre. Everyone strides off the airship and immediately starts their journey back to Rabanastre.

Penelo steps off and looks up at the blue sky. She thinks of the explosion. Penelo runs to a sand dune and throws up, Vaan close behind her in concern.

The party stops to wait for her, Ashe frowning and Balthier looking like she was wasting his time. Vaan holds her pigtails back and asks her what's wrong.

Penelo heaves. This is _not_ a victory for her.

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><p><strong>AN: **Review?


	4. past

**A/N: **c:

**Disclaimer: **smh

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><p><em>04. past<em>

As she steps foot in to the West Gate, the first thing Ashe sees is the glinting armor of Imperial Soldiers everywhere.

The explosion from the Dreadnought Leviathan has already reached Rabanastre's ears, and the Archadian soldiers are running around with the wounded and with weapons, trying to figure out what is going on. The group splits up to attract less attention, promising to meet in the Bazaar.

Ashe finds herself walking with Penelo, which she does not think is wise because Penelo had been recently kidnapped and there are never-ending swarms of children and adults approaching the young blonde and telling her how worried they had been.

"I don't know most of these people," Penelo tells her. Ashe does not reply.

She is too taken back by how _different_ Rabanastre is. She hadn't been here in the daylight since she had 'committed' suicide. All the Archadian banners and the sounds of the heavy Imperial armor clinking as they patrol the city just echo inside her head.

_This is not Rabanastre,_ she tells herself. _This is not my home_.

People have finally begun to leave Penelo alone, and as the two head to the Bazaar Penelo clears her throat and says, "I know it's different here."

Opening her mouth to reply, she freezes when a soldier turns the corner. She does not speak until he passes.

"Yes," she says. "It is very different."

Penelo's braids bob as she talks. "I miss the past Rabanastre. I miss waking up and coming outside and feeling like I can do whatever I want."

The young girl keeps talking. "So I hope that you get your throne back, Ashe. I really want it. _Everyone_ really wants it."

Ashe does not know what to say, so she looks down at the cobblestone ground and bites her lip. Penelo is right.

Her heart aches. The princess misses the past.

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><p><strong>AN: **Review~(:


	5. consort

**AN: **I'm a sucky authoress please excuse me omg.

**Disclaimer**: yup

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><p><em>05. consort<em>

Vaan sort of thinks it's funny how Basch follows the princess around.

Through the Sandseas, the Tomb, Giza, and now Ozmone - Basch has been two steps behind Ashe. His blade slays others for her, and Vaan has noticed the way her eyebrow twitches when Basch quickly steps in front of her already-swinging blade to do her job for her. At first, Vaan thought Basch had some kind of long-lasting crush on Ashe, but after simultaneous eye-rolls from Penelo and Fran one night, Vaan knows he's wrong.

"He just feels obligated," Penelo says, poking the fire. Vaan hears Balthier's arrogant chuckle from behind him.

"Even if the Captain cared about the lady in that way, the princess would surely _not_ reciprocate," Balthier says. "Too headstrong and feisty for an old man like Basch."

(When Basch and Ashe return from gathering food, Vaan tries not to stare too much. The fact that Basch does not have romantic feelings for someone he frets over so much is beyond him.)

Vaan recalls a term Reks taught him once - a consort. Consorts were many things: royal husbands or wives, allies, partners, guardians. Vaan figured that's what Basch was: a protective, dedicated, self-assigned consort.

So as the party slays a pack of Wus, Basch always right beside his charge, Vaan figures he should become a sort as well. Balthier and Fran were partners, Basch was Ashe's sword and shield - and that left him and Penelo.

Best friend was a pretty lame title anyway. Not as cool as partner. Or consort.

He sees a Wu lunge towards Penelo, and she's barely able to deflect its beak with her staff. He debates on whether or not he should finish the Wu in front of him or help Penelo; eventually, he decides.

Penelo yelps as the giant bird lunges again - the stamina of those little shits are infuriating, Vaan thinks - but the Wu falls backwards as Vaan slams into it with a shout and his shield. He pierces its heart, twists his blade, and turns to look at Penelo.

And it's strange, he thinks, the way her eyes are kind of surprised and scared and happy and grateful. She smiles a little, and her eyes crinkle. Her pearly whites flash between her rosy lips. He watches as she runs off to help Basch, who is overworking as usual.

Vaan stands there for a minute. Balthier shouts at him for standing around and doing nothing, so Vaan jumps back in to the battle.

The entire time, he doesn't understand why he feels so relieved and... _successful_.

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><p>Later, when they've looted the birds and continued heading towards Jahara, Vaan hangs to the back of the group with Penelo, the latter twirling her staff absentmindedly in her hands.<p>

"Thanks for earlier," she says, smiling at him again in that frustrating and endearing and confusing way. "Those Wus really suck, you know?"

It's not until Penelo hits him with her staff for not responding and just staring at her that he realizes why he's suddenly so happy. He's happy because he protected someone he cares about, and because he felt the need to make sure she was alright even though it was an extra step for him. He's happy because she appreciated it, and because he really _really_ likes the way her eyes crinkle until they're hardly visible when she's smiling and laughing at him.

Vaan doesn't say it, but Basch has taught him something. Vaan understands why Basch pisses the princess off day after day because of his overbearing attitude. Vaan knows it's because one day, Ashe will smile and thank Basch for all he's done, and that's what makes it all worth it.

"No problem, Pen," he says, flashing her a toothy grin. "That's what I'm here for, right?"

She rolls her eyes. "I think you just tagged along because you have a man-crush on Balthier."

Vaan sputters and denies it vehemently. Balthier turns and asks what's happening, and suddenly Balthier and Vaan are at it again just because. Between Ashe releasing her anger while chastising the two, Penelo pleading for them to stop, and Fran's ears twitching ever time Vaan shrieks, there is one person who is standing there calmly, smiling.

Basch is smiling because Vaan is obvious.

Very, _very_ obvious.

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: Yes Vaan/Penelo is going to be in this story, yes Larsa/Penelo will be in this story, yes I have no idea which one will win in the end.

Review? c:


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